Luanda - The Minister of State for Social Affairs, Maria do Rosário Bragança, said Friday in Luanda that the participation of women in peace and decision-making processes was one of the “imperatives” for regional, continental and global progress.
Speaking at the High-Level Forum of Women of the Great Lakes Region, the minister defended the need for bridges to be built for cooperation to overcome obstacles, towards a future with women at the center of peace-building and security efforts.
“Deepening and spreading knowledge about women, peace and security today is a clear sign of the commitment to improving the rate of protection and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and increasing democracy in modern states,” the minister said.
The minister said the event is a moment for women leaders to strengthen bonds of solidarity and reflect on peace and security.
“The forum unequivocally highlights the role of African citizenship in all phases of the peace-building process, contributing with recommendations for the real integration of the women's dimension in regional policies on defense, internal security, reconciliation and cooperation,” Bragança said.
These facts, according to the minister, contribute both to achieving the aspirations of the African Union's (AU) Agenda 2063 and the materialization of the Strategic Objectives of United Nations (UN) Resolution 1.325, regarding the protection of people, gender integration, stability and collective well-being.
Running under the motto “Strengthening women's participation and leadership in peace and security processes in the Great Lakes region”, the forum brings together delegates from 12 member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), as well as representatives of the Regional Peace and Security Monitoring Mechanism and the East African and Southern African Development Communities (SADC).
The two-day event will also being attended by members of the Network of African Women Leaders and the Advisory Council of the “Women, Peace and Security Agenda”, heads of diplomatic missions, religious bodies, academics, among others.JAM/MCN/
